Written Answers Thursday 21 February 2008

Scottish Executive

Airports

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the consultation by the Department of Transport on proposals to develop Heathrow Airport, in light of the impact of the development on the Scottish economy.

Stewart Stevenson: We will make the Department for Transport aware of our views in due course.

Apprenticeships

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for increasing the number of apprenticeships available for young people who leave school early in the north east.

Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government has committed to the provision of at least 50,000 appropriate training opportunities over the next three years. This will include an increase in the total number of modern apprenticeships.

  From April this year, the allocation of funding for the modern apprenticeships programme by geographical area will be an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland. It will be for Skills Development Scotland, who will assume responsibility for all our national training programmes, to determine all the delivery arrangements from next financial year.

Birds

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what scientific advice it has sought regarding the proposed major development of a large poultry farm in the Scottish Borders which will be situated below the flight path of a number of species of migratory birds.

Stewart Stevenson: This planning application has been notified to Scottish ministers who are currently considering whether or not it should be called in for their own determination or cleared back to the council. No scientific advice has been sought.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Scotland are diagnosed as suffering from Barrett’s oesophagus.

Shona Robison: This information is not available centrally.

  However, based on sample general practice team information, it is estimated that 900 people across Scotland consulted a member of the general practice team about Barrett’s oesophagus in 2005-06.

Class Sizes

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what average class sizes are in the Fife Council area, broken down by year group.

Maureen Watt: The latest available information on average class sizes by year group and local authority is set out in table 6.4 of the Statistical Bulletin Pupils in Scotland, 2006 which can be accessed using the following hyperlink:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/02/27083941/76.

Class Sizes

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of primary 1 to primary 3 pupils in Fife Council primary schools were in class sizes of (a) 18 and under, (b) 19 to 25, (c) 26 to 30 and (d) over 30 in each school year from 2003-04 to 2007-08.

Maureen Watt: Information for the 2007 census is due to be published on 26 February 2008. Data for the previous years are shown in the following table:

  Percentage of P1-P3 Pupils in Fife Council Primary Schools, by Size of Class

  

 
 0-18
 19-25
 26-30
>30


 2003
 8
 56
 35
 1


 2004
 8
 54
 38
 0


 2005
 10
 55
 35
 1


 2006
 10
 50
 40
 1



  Notes: *All percentages are rounded separately and breakdowns may consequently not sum up to 100 per cent.

Concessionary Travel

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners held free bus passes in (a) Aberdeen, (b) Aberdeenshire and (c) Angus in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003, (iii) 2004, (iv) 2005, (v) 2006 and (vi) 2007.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland do not hold any information prior to April 2006 and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any figures prior to that date. Information obtained from local authorities, who administered local concessionary travel schemes is as follows. The following table represents those people who qualified and received a card to access free bus travel.

  

 
 Aberdeen City
 Aberdeenshire
 Angus


 2002
 No figures available
 No figures available
 No figures available


 2003
 No figures available
 21,825
 No figures available


 2004
 No figures available
 25,964
 No figures available


 2005
 No figures available
 29,281
 No figures available


 2006
 No figures available
 29,377
 24,178


 2007 as at 31 March 2007
 33,322
 35,175
 20,718

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase spending on tackling organised crime in the north east.

Kenny MacAskill: We have established the serious organised crime taskforce to provide political support and momentum across Scotland to enforcement efforts to tackle the global problem of serious organised crime. However, operational decisions about tackling specific crimes, including the allocation of resources, are for chief constables and other law enforcement agencies. Scottish ministers will continue to support the police with record levels of funding and through the delivery of an additional 1,000 officers to strengthen operational policing in our communities.

Cycling

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to support the introduction of bicycle rental schemes in Scotland's major cities, similar to the Vélib’ schemes in Lyon and Paris.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government will support in principle any local authority which plans to introduce a bicycle rental scheme into its town or city, similar to that run by both Paris and Lyon City Councils.

  In 2008-09, Scottish local authorities will receive grant funding of £9 million for cycling, walking and safer streets projects and each local authority is able to add to this total should they wish to do so. However, it is up to each individual local authority to decide whether this type of scheme or any other active travel proposal would be appropriate to its local area.

Dentistry

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacant posts there are for dentists in hospital and community dental services in NHS Tayside and, of these, how many have been vacant for six months or more.

Shona Robison: The details of vacant consultant posts are published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce . The consultant vacancies table in the medical and dental section gives the number of consultant vacancies in hospital and community dental specialties by NHS board area and year. Information is not available at local health board area level. The table also gives the number of posts which have been vacant for six months or more. Latest available data is at 30 September 2007.

Dentistry

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) children and (b) adults in each NHS board area would have been classed as registered with an NHS dentist, based on the most recent figures available, if the registration period had not been extended in 2006.

Shona Robison: Centrally held information does not currently allow for the specific identification of everyone who would have been classed as registered with a dentist under NHS arrangements, based on the most recent figures available, if the registration period had not been extended in 2006. However, information on lapsed registrations is available and is published at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5137.html.

Dentistry

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) children and (b) adults in each NHS board area who are registered with an NHS dentist have attended for assessment or treatment within the last 15 months, based on the most recent figures available.

Shona Robison: Centrally held information does not currently allow for the specific identification of everyone registered with a dentist under NHS arrangements who have attended for assessment or treatment within the last 15 months, based on the most recent figures available. However, information on registrations with the NHS general dental service is available and is published at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4680.html .

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote wider access to speech and debate activities in primary and secondary schools, in the context of A Curriculum for Excellence and general literacy objectives.

Maureen Watt: A Curriculum for Excellence identifies literacy skills as a key theme across the curriculum with all teachers having a role in promoting literacy development.

  The draft experiences and outcomes for English and literacy, released for engagement on 21 February, explore the role of learning about language under three main lines of development: listening and talking, reading and writing. The draft outcomes offer opportunities for schools to develop literacy skills through debate, presentation and speech.

  National Qualifications in English offer opportunities for pupils to develop skills in speech and debate. Pupils participate in group discussions and individual talk and there is the option of assessable spoken work at most levels. There are also several free-standing national units which schools may offer, including units specifically on individual presentation and debating.

Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations are providing advice to the Scottish Government on the development of the carbon assessment tool referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 23 January 2008 ( Official Report , c. 5290).

Stewart Stevenson: Work on the development of a carbon impact assessment tool is at an early stage. We are in discussion with the Sustainable Development Commission and considering what other organisations can assist us in this work.

Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to develop a carbon assessment tool that will be capable of operation across central and local government in the United Kingdom or whether it will use a separate methodology for Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is developing a tool to assess the carbon impact of all government spending in Scotland. This tool will be based on the guidance recently issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on how to value greenhouse gas emissions in government appraisals using the Shadow Price of Carbon. Further information on the Defra guidance is available at:

  www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/research/carboncost/index.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority received for air quality monitoring in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Michael Russell: The information requested is provided in the following table. Local authorities applied for funding each year based on their requirements for that year. Not all authorities applied therefore not all authorities received funding in a particular year.

  

 
2005-06 (£)
2006-07 (£)
2007-08 (£)


 Aberdeen
 23,265
 17,135
 19,725


 Aberdeenshire 
 0
 0
 0


 Angus 
 7,260
 6,550
 8,680


 Argyll and Bute
 0
 10,600
 2,565


 Borders 
 0
 0
 8,650


 Clackmannanshire 
 0
 0
 0


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0
 0
 0


 Dundee 
 59,250
 51,570
 7,575


 East Ayrshire
 5,390
 0
 11,835


 East Dunbartonshire
 26,265
 33,635
 12,020


 East Lothian
 0
 0
 4,130


 East Renfrewshire
 0
 895
 4,440


 Edinburgh
 0
 13,620
 13,810


 Eilean Siar
 0
 0
 0


 Falkirk
 0
 8,550
 6,905


 Fife 
 20,790
 11,165
 23,670


 Glasgow
 24,015
 47,025
 0


 Highland
 0
 0
 6,965


 Inverclyde 
 0
 0
 4,500


 Midlothian 
 12,815
 0
 0


 Moray
 0
 0
 0


 North Ayrshire
 0
 0
 4,615


 North Lanarkshire
 29,120
 27,040
 26,430


 Orkney 
 0
 0
 0


 Perth and Kinross
 37,620
 34,855
 17,645


 Renfrewshire
 3,940
 13,480
 20,315


 Shetland
 0
 0
 11,835


 South Ayrshire
 7,545
 0
 13,595


 South Lanarkshire
 0
 0
 43,830


 Stirling
 7,045
 7,200
 5,310


 West Dunbartonshire
 20,095
 16,680
 3,155


 West Lothian
 15,585
 0
 17,800


 Total
 300,000
 300,000
 300,000

Epilepsy

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support people with epilepsy.

Shona Robison: With Epilepsy Scotland, we have been encouraging the development of Managed Clinical Networks for epilepsy services. These provide the integration of services highlighted by Audit Scotland in its 2007 report on long-term conditions.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) is developing clinical standards for neurological conditions. These will include standards specific to epilepsy.

Epilepsy

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have specialist staff dealing with the treatment of epilepsy and what experience staff have in each case.

Shona Robison: The table details whole-time equivalent (WTE) specialist epilepsy staff in post within NHSScotland at October 2007.

  

 NHS Board
 Epilepsy Specialist Nurses
 Consultant Neurologist Epilepsy Specialist


 Adult
 Pediatric
 Learning Disability


 Ayrshire and Arran
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Fife
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Forth Valley
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 2.5
 2
 2
 3


 Grampian
 1
 1
 0
 1


 Highland
 0
 1
 0
 0


 Lanarkshire 
 0
 1
 1
 0


 Lothian
 2
 1
 2
 2


 Tayside
 1
 1
 0
 2



  Source: Epilepsy Scotland.

  Arrangements are in place for people living in a board with no epilepsy specialist staff to be referred to an appropriate board which employs such specialist staff.

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs have been of establishing Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31530 on 6 March 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual running costs of the administration of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd are estimated to be in terms of staff salaries and other costs.

Stewart Stevenson: The annual running costs of the administration of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd is estimated to be £1 million.

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the staffing structure of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Stewart Stevenson: The staffing structure of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd is published on their website at www.cmassets.co.uk/organisationalinformation.htm .

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who owns Lochboisdale harbour.

Stewart Stevenson: Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) owns Lochboisdale pier and owns the linkspan which occupies land leased from the Crown Estate Commissioners. CMAL also has title to the buildings including the waiting room/ticket office and store room, vehicle marshalling area and the car parking area.

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who owns Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Stewart Stevenson: Caledonian MacBrayne Limited was restructured into an asset owning and leasing company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and a ferry operating company, David MacBrayne Ltd in October 2006 by the previous administration, in preparation for the tendering of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

  Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited is wholly owned by Scottish ministers.

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s fixed assets in terms of harbour facilities, broken down by facility.

Stewart Stevenson: The value of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s fixed assets is £23.7 million as contained in Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for 2006-07 laid before Parliament on 29 November 2007. The report was published by the Scottish Government on the same day – (Bib. number SE/2007/245). A breakdown of these written down values is shown on the table below.

  Written Down Value of Assets Per Facility – as at 31 March 2007

  

 Location
£000
 Location
£000


 Armadale
 2,088
 Kyleakin
 1


 Brodick
 1,297
 Largs
 195


 Castlebay
 1,721
 Lochaline
 199


 Claonaig
 0
 Lochboisdale
 596


 Colintraive
 515
 Lochranza
 552


 Coll
 1,566
 Mallaig
 1,496


 Colonsay
 884
 Oban
 4,142


 Craignure
 0
 Port Ellen
 145


 Cumbrae
 34
 Rhubodach
 45


 Dunoon
 0
 Rothesay
 564


 Fionnphort
 138
 Stornoway
 0


 Fishnish
 154
 Tarbert Harris
 1,659


 Gourock
 368
 Tiree
 2,142


 Iona
 179
 Tobermory
 379


 Kennacraig
 681
 Uig
 1


 Kilchoan
 222
 Ullapool
 24


 Kyle
 0
 Wemyss Bay
 1,712


 
 
 Total
 23,699

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what liabilities Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd has in relation to each of its harbour facilities.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what investment plans Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd has for each of the harbours that it owns.

Stewart Stevenson: Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has undertaken extensive asset condition surveys at all CMAL owned facilities and is currently developing a maintenance plan and investment strategy for its harbour facilities covering the short, medium and long-term.

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd has to borrow cash for investment in its harbours and vessels.

Stewart Stevenson: Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) already has, and uses, the power to borrow money from central government. Public corporations, such as CMAL, are only allowed to borrow commercially in certain strictly defined circumstances. Any proposal by CMAL to borrow cash commercially would be considered on its merits and would be judged against the applicable rules. If CMAL was to borrow commercially, such borrowings would count against the Scottish Government’s capital budget.

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd can enter joint ventures to invest in or operate any of its harbours.

Stewart Stevenson: Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) can enter into joint ventures like any other public body. However, before committing to any such arrangement CMAL would be required to produce evidence that this is the most efficient, economic and effective means of achieving the agreed objectives. CMAL would also have to demonstrate that its share of any joint venture is affordable.

Ferry Services

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of road gritting was to it in each of the two years prior to the introduction of road de-icing using liquid-salt solution, also expressed in cost per mile.

Stewart Stevenson: The trunk road maintenance contracts are tendered on the basis of a single lump sum payment for the delivery of all operations, including management, salting and monitoring associated with the winter service. Consequently, it is not possible to identify the expenditure on any specific element, such as road gritting (salting). The total cost of the winter maintenance service in 2004-05 and 2005-06 was £5.5 million and £6 million respectively. The four trunk road maintenance contracts cover approximately 2,000 miles of trunk roads, ranging from motorway to single carriageway. The average cost per mile of the winter maintenance service in 2004-05 and 2005-06 was £2,750 and £3,000 respectively per mile.

Flood Prevention

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority received from the Flood Prevention and Coast Protection Grant in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Michael Russell: The amounts received by each local authority as Flood Prevention or Coast Protection Grant are shown below. It is for authorities to come forward with suitable schemes to take up these resources. At this stage the amounts for the current year are the estimated outturn.

  

 Council
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Aberdeen
 27,000
 1,768,735
 51,406


 Aberdeenshire 
 
 228,698
 4,711


 Argyll and Bute
 568,136
 
 


 East Ayrshire
 1,486,338
 1,215,181
 9,334,156


 East Dunbartonshire
 2,030,337
 206,023
 172,569


 Dumfries and Galloway
 254,423
 19,629
 


 Edinburgh City
 2,430,697
 2,201,431
 12,000,000


 Falkirk
 
 
 641,279


 Fife
 27,588
 966,200
 2,704,000


 Glasgow City
 
 2,739,078
 5,728,527


 Highland
 756,480
 68,687
 


 Moray
 756,844
 733,248
 3,536,074


 North Ayrshire
 
 
 968,000


 Perth and Kinross
 487,459
 1,258,156
 413,386


 Renfrewshire
 
 
 686,678


 South Lanarkshire
 
 520,861
 1,034,173


 West Lothian
 199,000
 203,222
 540,675


 Western Isles
 15,908
 
 138,400


 Annual Totals
 9,040,210
 12,129,149
 37,954,034

Health

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions have been made for primary care services in Lanarkshire.

Nicola Sturgeon: When I made my statement to Parliament on 6 June 2007 announcing my decision to retain accident and emergency services at Monklands and Ayr Hospitals, I made it clear that I expected the boards to deliver as many of their original proposals as possible within the resources available to them.

  It is a matter for NHS Lanarkshire to identify their service priorities, taking into account value for money, which will provide the greatest benefit to the people of Lanarkshire.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds from the health budget have been targeted at children and young people in each year from 2003-04 to 2007-08.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards receive an annual allocation of funds. It is for each NHS board to decide how best to utilise these funds to meet the health care needs of its resident population taking account of national and local priorities. Data is not held centrally on expenditure on specific age groups.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8144 by Shona Robison on 28 January 2008, what timescale it intends to set for the proposed national programme board working on pressured ulcers and skin care.

Shona Robison: The National Programme Board will meet for the first time in March and has been asked to complete its preparatory work by the autumn, in time for practice recommendations to be developed and rolled out from January 2009.

Healthy Living

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that healthy living centres can continue to improve community health and wellbeing.

Shona Robison: As announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 19 February, the Scottish Government has established a one-year Healthy Living Centre Transition Fund of up to £2.5 million. This recognises the unique nature of healthy living centres and the contribution that they can make to address inequalities in health in our most deprived communities.

  The fund will be administered by NHS boards, maintaining our principle that funding decisions should be taken locally based on local needs and priorities.

Healthy Living

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7860 by Shona Robison on 17 January 2008, whether it will initiate discussions with COSLA, as part of its concordat, to ensure that education authorities all take part in the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey in 2008.

Shona Robison: We will continue to engage with COSLA in planning for the 2008 survey – as we have done in previous surveys.

Local Government Concordat

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local government continues to deliver "the full range of quality services that can be reasonably expected by our citizens", as set out in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 , when these services, such as social care services for adults, do not directly relate to the outcomes and indicators set out in its concordat with COSLA.

John Swinney: The Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 said that: "there will be over-riding obligations [on local government] to deliver value for money across all activities and to deliver the full range of quality services that can reasonably be expected by our citizens". Those obligations include statutory obligations and on-going accountability to their electorates for the delivery of local services. The outcomes and indicators in the concordat with COSLA neither take the place of, nor diminish, the importance of continued delivery of the statutory responsibilities placed on councils and their partners to care for all people in their communities.

  Councils will also be able to demonstrate their commitment to improving care and support services through single outcome agreements (SOAs) with the Scottish Government. In the process of agreeing the SOAs, we would expect to have discussions with each council about their ambition for key policy areas including social care. The national outcome to "live longer, healthier lives" and the national indicator to "increase the percentage of people aged 65 and over with high levels of care needs who are cared for at home" are among those that will impact on social care services for adults.

  More generally, the President of COSLA has said, in relation to concerns raised about funding for vulnerable groups, that: "it is inconceivable that their needs, their aspirations and their required services will not impinge on the decision-making of local councils".

Local Government Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority received for supported borrowing in each year of the 2004 spending review.

John Swinney: The table below shows the supported borrowing (non-cash) allocations for each local authority for the period 2005-06 to 2007-08:

  

 (all values in £000)
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Aberdeen City
 10,061
 9,157
 9,386


 Aberdeenshire
 10,477
 10,109
 10,362


 Angus
 5,642
 5,973
 6,122


 Argyll and Bute
 11,137
 11,789
 12,084


 Clackmannanshire
 3,116
 3,299
 3,381


 Dumfries and Galloway
 9,560
 9,865
 10,112


 Dundee City
 7,832
 8,042
 8,243


 East Ayrshire
 5,994
 6,026
 6,176


 East Dunbartonshire
 5,563
 5,472
 5,609


 East Lothian
 5,211
 5,238
 5,369


 East Renfrewshire
 4,648
 4,920
 5,043


 Edinburgh, City of
 25,089
 20,883
 21,406


 Eilean Siar
 10,428
 11,039
 11,315


 Falkirk
 7,267
 7,345
 7,528


 Fife
 15,766
 16,149
 16,552


 Glasgow
 39,906
 33,976
 34,826


 Highland
 18,692
 19,786
 20,281


 Inverclyde
 6,740
 7,135
 7,313


 Midlothian
 4,609
 4,340
 4,449


 Moray
 4,786
 5,066
 5,193


 North Ayrshire
 8,421
 8,914
 9,137


 North Lanarkshire
 15,748
 14,807
 15,177


 Orkney Islands
 3,990
 4,224
 4,329


 Perth and Kinross
 8,181
 8,660
 8,877


 Renfrewshire
 9,602
 9,285
 9,517


 Scottish Borders
 7,567
 8,010
 8,211


 Shetland Islands1
 0*
 0*
 0*


 South Ayrshire
 5,529
 5,512
 5,650


 South Lanarkshire
 14,941
 15,130
 15,509


 Stirling
 5,354
 5,475
 5,612


 West Dunbartonshire
 5,018
 5,029
 5,155


 West Lothian
 6,923
 7,057
 7,233


 Total2
 303,800
 297,713
 305,156



  Notes:

  1. Shetland currently does not receive a separate calculable level of support for new in-year borrowing. Instead, under a historical agreement, they receive a percentage of the total Scotland loan charge support which incorporates support for all their debt types. From 2008-09, they will receive a separate element of support for new in-year borrowing under a new distribution agreement.

  2. Minor roundings discrepancy from individual local authority split to the total. The amounts specified are actuals correct to each local authority.

  These figures outline the levels of local authority borrowing for which the Scottish Government will provide revenue funding to support the costs associated with the on-going debt servicing charges (annual repayments of principal, interest and loans fund expenses).

Marine Environment

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to have completed the work with Forth Ports plc on its assessment of proposals for ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth.

Richard Lochhead: Forth Ports’ assessments of the proposals for ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth can be accessed on http://www.forthports.co.uk/ports/marine/shiptoship/ .

  SNH have provided comments on earlier drafts of the environmental report.

  In these circumstances, where Forth Ports plc have decided not to proceed with the proposal, the Scottish Government does not intend to continue working with Forth Ports on the assessment, or to provide further comment on the reports.

Ministerial Meetings

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met NHS Highland and what issues were discussed.

Nicola Sturgeon: I meet regularly with all NHS chairs to discuss matters of importance to health and the NHS in Scotland, most recently on 28 January. Health officials are also in regular contact with NHS Highland about a range of matters. The Minister for Public Health also met with the senior team of NHS Highland on 21 August last year when she chaired the board’s annual review. The board’s performance on key national health targets including health improvement, efficiency, waiting times and cancer care were discussed.

NHS Boards

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met NHS Fife and what issues were discussed.

Nicola Sturgeon: I meet monthly with all NHS board chairs. I chaired the Annual Review of NHS Fife on 13 August last year and have also met managers and front line staff during visits to health care facilities in Fife – for example when I opened the new haematology unit at Queen Margaret Hospital and the new Linburn Road Health Centre in Dunfermline on 20 November.

  Scottish Government officials also meet regularly with NHS Fife to discuss a wide range of matters.

NHS Services

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is making available to community patient transport services

Nicola Sturgeon: Community transport organisations play a vital role in proving access to NHS facilities in areas where public transport services are limited. They benefit from a number of funding streams, for example funding from the Rural Communities Transport Initiative, provided under section 70 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001, as well as grant aid from NHS boards and local authorities.

  Information is not held centrally on the total amounts made available.

NHS Staff

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure parity in the bandings applied under the Agenda for Change pay system for jobs requiring comparable levels of knowledge and experience, both within each NHS board and across all boards

Nicola Sturgeon: Agenda for Change is designed to be consistent across all staff covered by the new system. It uses the same job evaluation process to assess each job and the same job profiles are used throughout the NHS.

  Outcomes are checked both at local and national level before bandings are confirmed. Any staff member who feels that the system has not been applied correctly to them has the right to request a review of their banding.

  In addition, discussions in partnership between NHS employer and staff side representatives are currently going on about what high level monitoring can be put in place to assure staff and the service that the Agenda for Change system has been applied consistently throughout NHSScotland.

NHS Staff

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many training grade doctors there were in each speciality in NHS Lothian in each year since 1999.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table (table 1) shows information on medical training grades in the Hospital, Community and Public Health Services of NHS Lothian. The information is shown by specialty as at 30 September in each of the last nine years.

  Head Count as at September Each Year

  

 
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007


 All specialties
804
 823
 855
 888
 945
 969
 966
 1,011
 1,217


 All medical specialties
 787
 808
 837
 874
 928
 957
 949
 991
 1,193


 Hospital medical specialties
 779
 801
 831
 864
 919
 948
 941
 977
 1,118


 Emergency medicine
 32
 35
 31
 31
 49
 44
 54
 48
 51


 Anaesthetics
 71
 72
 84
 87
 88
 92
 97
 83
 133


 Clinical laboratory specialties
 31
 33
 35
 38
 40
 40
 41
 39
 56


 Chemical pathology
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2
 1
 2
 2
 2


 Clinical genetics
 2
 1
 2
 2
 2
 1
 1
 1
 3


 Haematology
 10
 13
 12
 13
 13
 17
 14
 16
 21


 Histopathology
 8
 8
 10
 10
 13
 12
 13
 10
 19


 Immunology
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Medical microbiology & virology
 9
 9
 9
 11
 10
 9
 11
 10
 11


 Medical specialties
 307
 308
 324
 336
 358
 387
 390
 438
 417


 Audiological medicine
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Dermatology
 5
 5
 5
 7
 7
 9
 10
 8
 13


 General medicine (group)
 167
 163
 178
 209
 215
 220
 193
 218
 204


 Cardiology
 19
 22
 14
 24
 17
 19
 27
 24
 24


 Paediatric cardiology
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Clinical pharmacology & therapeutics
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2
 4
 4
 3
 2


 Infectious diseases
 7
 6
 7
 7
 8
 11
 9
 12
 8


 Endocrinology & diabetes
 9
 7
 8
 9
 11
 8
 7
 6
 12


 Gastroenterology
 10
 11
 13
 12
 15
 13
 16
 11
 23


 General (acute) medicine
 85
 79
 107
 111
 124
 122
 88
 122
 83


 Renal medicine
 14
 15
 9
 18
 14
 17
 18
 17
 18


 Respiratory medicine
 15
 16
 13
 20
 18
 21
 20
 19
 29


 Rheumatology
 6
 5
 5
 6
 6
 5
 4
 4
 5


 Genito - urinary medicine
 5
 5
 5
 7
 5
 3
 1
 3
 5


 Geriatrics
 28
 38
 31
 24
 27
 32
 52
 86
 49


 Homoeopathy
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Intensive care medicine
 2
 6
 1
 3
 1
 4
 6
 2
 1


 Medical oncology
 7
 8
 14
 21
 13
 13
 14
 20
 32


 Medical ophthalmology
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Neurology
 5
 6
 8
 7
 11
 10
 15
 11
 16


 Paediatrics
 61
 51
 57
 35
 56
 65
 66
 68
 79


 Palliative medicine
 4
 4
 5
 5
 4
 5
 5
 4
 6


 Clinical oncology
 15
 10
 12
 11
 12
 18
 21
 13
 6


 Rehabilitation medicine
 8
 8
 8
 7
 7
 8
 7
 5
 6


 Clinical neuro-physiology
 -
 4
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Obstetrics & gynaecology
 41
 45
 45
 42
 48
 46
 46
 51
 54


 Occupational medicine
 1
 1
 1
 2
 2
 1
 1
 1
 1


 Psychiatric specialties
 91
 94
 92
 95
 94
 101
 93
 84
 104


 Child & adolescent psychiatry
 5
 7
 11
 6
 4
 6
 6
 5
 9


 Forensic psychiatry
 3
 3
 2
 2
 3
 3
 2
 1
 1


 General psychiatry
 69
 75
 73
 79
 77
 81
 75
 72
 83


 Psychiatry of learning disability
 3
 3
 1
 3
 4
 4
 5
 2
 2


 Old age psychiatry
 11
 5
 4
 3
 4
 5
 4
 3
 8


 Psychotherapy
 -
 1
 1
 2
 2
 2
 1
 1
 1


 Radiology
 23
 28
 31
 31
 35
 30
 27
 26
 44


 Clinical radiology
 23
 28
 31
 31
 35
 30
 27
 26
 44


 Nuclear medicine
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Surgical specialties
 182
 185
 188
 202
 205
 207
 192
 207
 258


 Cardiothoracic surgery
 12
 9
 16
 12
 12
 13
 18
 12
 21


 ENT surgery
 13
 12
 11
 12
 12
 9
 9
 7
 12


 General surgery
 88
 83
 88
 91
 90
 96
 80
 95
 90


 Neurosurgery
 10
 6
 7
 10
 10
 8
 9
 10
 13


 Ophthalmology
 12
 12
 12
 18
 14
 12
 11
 12
 19


 Oral & maxillofacial surgery
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Trauma & orthopaedic surgery
 22
 28
 30
 30
 32
 34
 31
 32
 55


 Paediatric surgery
 4
 14
 8
 9
 18
 15
 9
 13
 12


 Plastic surgery
 8
 8
 7
 11
 7
 10
 12
 13
 16


 Urology
 13
 13
 9
 9
 10
 10
 13
 13
 19


 Public health medicine
 4
 5
 3
 4
 5
 5
 4
 3
 6


 Community medical specialties
 4
 2
 3
 6
 4
 4
 4
 11
 69


 Breast screening service
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 3
 2
 2


 Community child health
 2
 1
 2
 3
 3
 3
 1
 1
 -


 Community psychiatry
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Family planning
 2
 1
 1
 2
 1
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Well woman service
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 General practice
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 8
 67


 All dental specialties
 17
 15
 18
 14
 17
 12
 17
 20
 24


 Hospital dental specialties
 17
 15
 18
 13
 17
 12
 17
 20
 17


 Oral medicine
 4
 4
 3
 3
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Oral surgery
 6
 6
 7
 3
 7
 1
 5
 4
 4


 Orthodontics
 4
 3
 4
 3
 2
 3
 5
 5
 7


 Paediatric dentistry
 1
 -
 1
 1
 2
 4
 3
 3
 3


 Restorative dentistry
 2
 2
 1
 1
 3
 3
 3
 2
 1


 Dental & maxillofacial radiology
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 3
 -


 Oral microbiology
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 2
 -


 Oral pathology
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Fixed & removable prosthodontics
 -
 -
 2
 2
 2
 1
 1
 1
 2


 Surgical dentistry
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Community dental specialties
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 7


 Community dentistry
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Special care dentistry
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Dental Public Health
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 7



  Source ISD, Scotland.

Planning

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish its conclusions on the West Edinburgh Planning Framework.

Stewart Stevenson: Conclusions on the West Edinburgh Planning Framework are anticipated to be released before the end of the year.

Planning

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has provided to (a) East Ayrshire Council and (b) South Ayrshire Council in fees, for administering wind farm applications made under the Electricity Act 1989 or planning legislation, broken down by individual application.

Jim Mather: Since 1 July 2005 the Scottish Government has paid Planning Authorities two thirds of any new application fee received under the Electricity (Applications for Consent) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The intention of this payment is to ensure the planning authority is appropriately resourced when considering wind farm proposals under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 in their area.

  Details of payments made are detailed as follows:

  

 Development
 Amount
 Council


 Mark Hill
£10,000
 South Ayrshire


 Arecleoch
£13,000
 South Ayrshire



  There have been no new applications in the East Ayrshire area since the introduction of the fee payment arrangements.

  Fees relating to applications under the Town and Country Planning Act 1997 are payable by the applicant directly to the planning authority. Records of the fees received by planning authorities under the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications and Deemed Applications) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 as amended, are not held centrally.

Police

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the minimum time was for a prisoner to be held in a police cell in 2006-07.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

Procurement

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish ministers have discretion to offer assets under their control directly or at arms length through an agency or company owned by the government to other parties and, if so, what constraints or requirements Scottish ministers are under in disposing of such assets.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish ministers and arms length bodies may dispose of or lease assets subject to the relevant guidance in the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

  In any potential transfer of assets consideration would have to be given to the impact on business continuity and service delivery.

Public Transport

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings are planned with organisations representing people with disabilities to discuss the proposal to merge the Mobility Access Committee (MACS) with the Public Transport Users Committee (PTUC).

Stewart Stevenson: The government will support MACS and PTUC through the amalgamation process and officials have met with MACS on several occasions recently. We have also started a dialogue with key MACS stakeholders.

  This amalgamation will help deliver our vision to reshape the public sector by improving its efficiency, effectiveness and outcome focus for the businesses and people of Scotland.

Public Transport

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Executive on the Glasgow Crossrail project and what its response will be.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has received a copy of the final STAG report from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), and this will be fed into the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR).

Public Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in developing an integrated payment card for public transport use.

Stewart Stevenson: The card already exists in the form of the National Entitlement Card, although this does not preclude transport operators choosing to develop their own cards for this purpose.

  The new breed of smartcard enabled Electronic Ticket Machines – capable of reading such cards - are being progressively rolled out across the entire Scottish bus fleet of over 7,000 buses and this programme should be largely complete by the end of 2008-09.

  The third component of the infrastructure – the back office to administer transactions, is again largely complete.

  The Scottish Government intends to develop a framework for transport operators and local authorities to follow for Integrated Ticketing, and it is expected that this will go to stakeholder consultation in the next few weeks.

Rail Services

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle commuter congestion on peak-time trains in the north east and across Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: In addition to improving journey times, through infrastructure enhancements and timetable changes, we are investing in new services and we are enhancing rolling stock to provide increased capacity for passengers.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9161 on 21 February 2008. A rolling stock programme identifying and responding to rolling stock needs to deliver Transport Scotland’s priorities for rail is being developed.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Rail Services

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to subsidise rail travel on commuter lines to ease traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse gases.

Stewart Stevenson: In addition to the fares collected by train operators, the Scottish Government currently subsidise the rail network and services in Scotland by over £650 million per annum. This means that individual passenger journeys are already subsidised: we work hard to ensure that the level of subsidy, when compared to the fares revenue, strikes an appropriate balance of contribution between passenger and taxpayer.

  Trips made by rail, which would otherwise have to be made by road, reduce the number of car or bus journeys on the road and the greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile are much lower for rail transport than for transport by road.

Rail Services

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to procure additional rolling stock to accommodate an increase in rail services between Ayr and Stranraer.

Stewart Stevenson: Increasing services between Ayr and Stranraer is not currently a priority. We have not, therefore, taken any steps to procure additional rolling stock for that purpose.

Rail Services

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5531 by Stewart Stevenson on 5 November 2007, whether it will provide details of the request it has made to the franchisee with regard to the leasing of additional rolling stock required to provide a half-hourly service between Glasgow and Kilmarnock.

Stewart Stevenson: First ScotRail was instructed on 11 November 2007 to commence negotiations for the leasing of rolling stock to add to the ScotRail fleet, for the purpose of a number of planned service enhancements. The negotiations were completed and resulted in the leasing of additional rolling stock on 8 December 2007. The additional rolling stock will mean that there will be sufficient capacity in the ScotRail fleet to provide the planned half hourly service between Glasgow and Kilmarnock.

Rail Services

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5531 by Stewart Stevenson on 5 November 2007, how much additional rolling stock it has asked the franchisee to lease to provide a half-hourly service between Glasgow and Kilmarnock.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9564 on 21 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottishparliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  As a result of a planned cascade of rolling stock across services, two Diesel multiple units can be allocated to improving the Glasgow to Kilmarnock service to a half-hourly frequency.

Regeneration

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which public body will be responsible for taking forward the development of the former Ravenscraig site.

Jim Mather: Discussions are underway about the transfer of regeneration activities between Scottish Enterprise and local authorities in line with recent reforms. No decisions have yet been made on individual projects. However, where formal Scottish Enterprise funding commitments exist for approved projects, these will be honoured.

Road Safety

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to provide extra carriages for peak-time train travel across Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: A rolling stock programme identifying and responding to rolling stock needs to deliver Transport Scotland’s priorities for rail is being developed.

Roads

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the referral to the European Commission of the procurement process for the M74 extension will have any impact on the start date for construction.

Stewart Stevenson: We carried out an internal review of the procurement process, which concluded that the procedures were properly conducted. We expect construction to start in May.

Roads

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total expenditure on road de-icing by Scotland TranServ using liquid-salt solution has been in each year for which figures are available, also expressed in cost per mile.

Stewart Stevenson: The trunk road maintenance contracts are tendered on the basis of a single lump sum payment for the delivery of all operations, including management, salting and monitoring associated with the winter service. Consequently, it is not possible to identify the expenditure on any specific element, such as road de-icing.

Roads

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents have been recorded on gritted roads since the introduction of liquid-salt solution to de-ice roads and how this figure compares with the previous two years on the same roads.

Stewart Stevenson: It is not possible to link road accidents directly to whether the road had been gritted, as this information is not recorded on the police accident report. However, the total number of reported injury accidents on the entire trunk road and motorway network between October and May (when the winter service is required to operate) was 1,460 in 2004-05 and 1,304 in 2005-06 (the 2 years before liquid salt was used on any trunk roads). This compares to 1,455 in 2006-07. During 2006-07, liquid salt was used only on trunk roads in the North West and South West Units.

Roads

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been carried out into the use of brine to de-ice roads.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is represented on the National Salt Spreading Research Group, which commissioned a three-year research study on this subject in 2001. The final report of this study in 2005 included results of other trials undertaken for local authorities.

Roads

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the M74 extension.

Stewart Stevenson: The contract for the M74 extension has now been awarded. We expect construction to start in May 2008 with the road opening in 2011.

Roads

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when construction of the M74 extension will commence.

Stewart Stevenson: We expect construction of the M74 extension to commence in May 2008.

Roads

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been set aside to meet the cost of completion of the M74 extension.

Stewart Stevenson: The cost of the contract for the M74 completion is £445 million with an additional allowance of £12 million for the possible treatment of mine workings.

Roads

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response has been to complaints that ministers breached EU directives in relation to the main contract for the M74 extension.

Stewart Stevenson: We have undertaken an internal review and we are confident that the procurement processes and procedures are robust and have been properly conducted in accordance with EU rules.

Schools

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the commitment in Principles and Priorities: The Government’s Programme for Scotland to "increase the number of school nurses" is the equivalent of the commitment on page 10 of the SNP manifesto to "a doubling of the number of school nurses".

Shona Robison: Our plans are to increase the range of nursing and other health care support available to school aged children and young people. A health care model targeted at deprived and other areas with high numbers of disadvantaged children will be developed in 2008. School nurses will have an important part to play in this.

Schools

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of whole-time equivalent qualified school nurses that it will make provision for by 2011 in the (a) Dundee City, (b) Angus and (c) Aberdeenshire local authority areas and in total.

Shona Robison: The exact number of school nurses employed by 2011 in the local authority areas in question is a matter for the relevant health boards and will depend on a number of factors yet to be determined. Our intention is that those school aged children and young people in areas of greatest need will in the future have easier access to a wider range of nursing and other health care support. A health care model targeted at deprived and other areas with high numbers of disadvantaged children will be developed in 2008.

Schools

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many multi-use games areas have been installed in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many grass playing fields have been (a) developed, (b) expanded and (c) removed in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Maureen Watt: The information requested is not held centrally.

Schools

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to raise awareness of biodiversity in schools.

Maureen Watt: The emerging learning outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence will ensure that sustainable development is integrated into all areas of the curriculum. This will help support young people’s learning about the natural world and the need for sustainable lifestyles.

  A biodiversity module was added to the Eco Schools Scotland programme in 2005. Eco Schools Scotland, in conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage, is currently undertaking research into schools’ uptake of the module.

Schools

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage more secondary schools to become eco-schools.

Maureen Watt: Eco Schools Scotland have a secondary schools development officer who is looking at ways in which the Eco Schools programme could be better tailored to staff and pupils in the secondary sector. A module on international issues, comprising themes of particular interest to secondary school pupils, is also being developed for inclusion in the programme.

Schools

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have submitted funding proposals for their school building programmes since May 2007 and which of these were successful.

Maureen Watt: Funding resources provided by government are allocated to local authorities for them to deploy according to their own priorities. The funding arrangements for investment in school buildings do not operate on the basis of authorities applying for and being allocated resources by the government on the basis of their individual proposals.

Scottish Government Agencies

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the First Minister on 30 January 2008, when the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board will cease to operate.

Jim Mather: Legislation is required to abolish the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board and at the moment there is no firm date for when it will cease to operate.

Scottish Government Agencies

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue and capital costs were incurred by the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

Jim Mather: Members of the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board (SIDAB) are unpaid, the only direct revenue costs incurred by the board being for members expenses and some hospitality. In 2005-06 and 2006-07 these totalled £470 and £480 respectively. SIDAB does not incur any capital costs.

  There are also administration costs in supporting SIDAB including the costs involved in appointing new board members, government staff time and stationery costs. However, there is no separate record maintained of these costs.

Scottish Government Agencies

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which body will be responsible for providing advice on Regional Selective Assistance grants of over £250,000 after the abolition of the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board.

Jim Mather: We value the input of individuals with strong business experience when considering large grants in support of company growth and investment and would wish to retain access to such advice in the future. What will follow the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board has still to be determined but the provision of appropriate business related advice will be in place prior to the abolition of the non-departmental public body.

Scottish Water

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of Scottish Water’s leakage rates were of all the water that it treated in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06, (d) 2006-07 and (e) 2007-08 to date.

Stewart Stevenson: The information is as follows:

  Distribution Input (Treated Water Supplied to Scottish Water's Networks)

  

 
 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Ml/day
 2,377.97
 2,386.51
 2,377.92
 2,332.25
 2,295.93


 % Scottish Water leakage
 %
 41.5%
 41.2%
 41.2%
 40.8%
 37.3%


 % Customers' leakage
 %
 6.1%
 6.8%
 6.7%
 6.5%
 6.5%


 % Total leakage
 %
 47.6%
 48.0%
 47.9%
 47.3%
 43.7%



  Source: Scottish Water.

  Note: 2007-08 information is not available in a comparable form but will be reported to the Water Industry Commission when complete and consistent reports are available for the full reporting year 2007-08.

Scottish Water

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what sanctions are available to the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland in the event of poor performance by Scottish Water.

Stewart Stevenson: Under section 3 of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland has a function to advise Ministers on the standard of service provided by Scottish Water. Any such advice would then allow Scottish ministers to take appropriate action. Furthermore, under section 29F of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland may revise the maximum amount of charges that Scottish Water can levy to such extent as it thinks fit.

Supporting People

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or local authorities will be held accountable should the move to single outcome agreements and the removal of ring fencing from the Supporting People programme result in a reduction in the quality or availability of social care services for adults.

Stewart Maxwell: We look forward to working with COSLA, local authorities, providers and others to ensure that the interests of the most vulnerable in society are appropriately reflected in single outcome agreements. Local authorities will of course be responsible for meeting the commitments made in their outcome agreements. Both sides will monitor the new arrangements and discuss and agree issues relating to policy development.

Transport

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of the current level of fuel prices on (a) public transport, (b) the haulage industry and (c) rural areas.

Stewart Stevenson: The cost of fuel is one of a number of factors which impact on the provision of public transport. Scottish Government’s support for bus services is considerable amounting to some £260 million per annum. In the Budget Debate, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced that an additional £4 million would be allocated to Bus Service Operators Grant in 2008-09.

  We are fully aware of the impact of fuel prices on the road freight sector and in rural areas and Scottish ministers are in correspondence with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the possibility of minimising the impact on the road freight sector and reducing the level of fuel duty in certain rural areas of Scotland.

Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government on future funding of the new Forth crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: Preliminary discussions have been held with officials regarding funding options including Trans-European Network (TEN-T) funding.

Waste Management

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why its new waste targets only include waste collected by local authorities.

Richard Lochhead: The Parliamentary Statement on waste policy in January announced the Scottish Government’s intention to review the National Waste Plan. The statement also indicated that as part of this review the government would consult on new targets to reduce the amount of commercial waste that goes to landfill.

Water Charges

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism is planned to collect water and sewerage charges under a local income tax.

Stewart Stevenson: The government intends to consult later this year on proposals for future domestic water charging arrangements.

Water Industry

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the powers of the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: None.